Dialogue with Hostile US Not Acceptable: Iran’s VP

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri rejected the possibility of any negotiation between the Islamic Republic and the US, saying that Washington is only following hostile policies against Tehran.

“The enemies are trying their hardest to wage psychological and media war in a bid to incite anxiety, worry and disappointment about the future of the country and the Establishment in public opinion,” Jahangiri said in a speech on Tuesday night, addressing to the US propaganda campaign against Iran.

“The enemies have targeted the country’s social assets,” he said, adding that all patriots should prevent the social assets from suffering erosion through boosting unity in the country.

The first vice-president further slammed the never-ending hostility of the US government toward Iran and said the majority of the country’s elites agree that at the present time, negotiation with Washington is not acceptable given its hostile policies and disrespect for the Islamic Republic.

The remarks came as US President Donald Trump on August 6 signed an executive order reimposing many sanctions on Iran, three months after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.

He said the US policy is to levy “maximum economic pressure” on the country.

Trump also restated his opinion that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was a “horrible, one-sided deal”.

On May 8, the US president pulled his country out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France, and Germany).

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has underlined that any decision to keep the JCPOA running without the US should be conditional on “practical guarantees” from the Europeans.